Ohio missionary indicted on four federal counts for child abuse in Haiti

An Ohio man was formally charged by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio on Tuesday, accused of repeatedly abusing minors in Haiti over nearly two decades.

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The indictment alleges the 44-year-old Millersburg resident traveled from the United States to Haiti multiple times between 2002 and 2019, often linked to missionary trips organized by the non-profit Christian Aid Ministries. Each of the four federal counts corresponds to the alleged abuse of a different child victim. Investigators also obtained flight records showing the accused took more than 30 U.S.–Haiti trips between 2002 and 2018.

The organization previously said it had no prior knowledge of the alleged conduct, only learning of the accusations when he unexpectedly returned to the U.S. in May 2019.

Church accounts indicate that upon landing back in Ohio, he immediately confessed to his congregation at Shining Light Christian Fellowship that he had abused boys.

“Jeriah spent hours on his face weeping and wailing over his sins… feeling such remorse over the hurt he caused so many people,” the church ministry team wrote at the time in a public statement, describing his emotional confession.

Following that disclosure, the accused voluntarily surrendered to the local county authority, Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, where Chief Deputy Richard L. Haun Jr. confirmed he “made admissions to alleged crimes” spanning Ohio and Haiti, adding that the statements included “at least some identification of potential victims.” The case was then escalated to federal investigators, including FBI, although an agency spokesperson told NBC News it could not comment on active investigations.

Prosecutors and federal investigators moved quickly to reaffirm their commitment to accountability.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti labeled the allegations “heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children” and stressed that prosecutors would “relentlessly seek justice” wherever U.S. law grants jurisdiction.

U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer of the Northern District of Ohio strongly condemned the accusations, saying “incidents involving child exploitation will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” He also praised investigative support from Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for helping build the federal case.

Regional agents reinforced that stance. Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz of HSI Detroit said overseas abuse cases like this highlight the agency’s role in “identifying and investigating individuals — especially those in positions of trust — who exploit children,” adding that America-based authorities remain committed to “holding predators accountable here in the United States,” even when allegations originate abroad.

The prosecution team includes Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King from the Northern District of Ohio.

The accused is expected to appear next in federal court in Ohio, though a trial date has not yet been announced.